5 Tips to Stock Your Kitchen the Right Way

One of the most difficult things to do is to take a look at your pantry and begin to stock it with healthy foods.  When you are trying to make healthy choices one of the most difficult things to do is avoid the Oreos in the pantry or stay away from the ice cream in the freezer.  I am going to give you a great set of guidelines that will help you to clean out your kitchen and get it stocked the  right way with foods that promote healthy choices and weight loss.

1. Lean Protein: Free-range chicken, turkey, salmon, tilapia, grass-fed beef and protein powders.  When buying meat aim for the 90/10 or 93/7 choices.  The first number is the amount of beef where the second number is the amount of fat.  This is true even for ground turkey and chicken so check those labels before purchasing.
2. Good Fats: nuts, avocados, seeds (pumpkins, sesame, sunflower), nut butters ( with no added sugars), salmon, and oils (grapeseed, coconut, extra virgin olive oil)
3. Carbohydrates: Choose from the slow digesting carbs with low glycemic index. Wheat breads, ezekial breads, oatmeal (steel cut), quinoa, brown rice and beans.
4. Vegetables: You always need fresh vegetables in your kitchen.  I will not say they all have to be organic but pesticides have been linked to increased midsection fat.  If you can’t buy organic in all vegetables, at least aim for the leafy greens, tomatoes, and stalk vegetables to be organic as they take up the most pesticides in their roots, fruits and leaves.
5. Natural Sugars (aka fruits): strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, apples, pears, etc.  All fruits are good, some are higher in anti-oxidants and some are considered super fruits (blueberries, acai, and pomegranate).  Tip: Take post workout to replenish glycogen stores.

When grocery shopping stay to the perimeter of the store and avoid the inner aisles as they contain processed foods and foods high in sodium due to their preservatives.  Look for produce stands, markets, and buy vegetables that are in season to help save money.  Also, packaged tuna, salmon, and chicken are just as good for quick lunches and contain the exact same macronutrient values as their fresh variety.  For those of you who love ice cream (like me) try Artic Zero.  It is 150 calories for the entire pint!